Railway block system.



w. L. RUMMBL; RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR.11, 190.8.

Patented Aug. 31,1909.

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY ANDREW. s. GRAHAM cm Pomvumoemvllzns. WASHINGTON, D. c.

W.'L. RUMMEL.

RAILWAY BLOGK SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILI-:D APR. 11, 190B.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR HKZ/.Humm el :11,

WITNESSES:

A TTRNE Y ANDREW. liA GRAHAM 004. Pliomumouupnus. wAswNGTM. n L

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR WLR umml BV l WITNESSES:

A TTORNE Y Ammaw4 s. GRAHAM ce.A mum-M .NMi-mur ........Y

APATENT euries.

"WILLIAM I.. Runner.; or sIoUx cITr, IoWA.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

"Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

i Appiieaiiqa ined April I1,A 190s; seria1No-4'2a42`1.

To-all whom 'it may concern:

Sioux City, in the county; ofVoodbury and State of iowa, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Railway Block Systems,of which thefollowing isa specification;

My invention has relation to railway blockv systems and is intended as.animprovement on my-invention for which Letters. Patent of the UnitedStates, Number 841,451, were issued to me on January 15, 1907. v Y

The object of my `invention is toimprove and perfect the devicevtherein.described to the end that trains may be more easily and readilycontrolled `and accidents by collision averted. i i 1,

I have illustrated `my inventionin the accompanying drawing in whichiFigure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a sec-l tion or block of railwaytrack `showing the electric circuits operatingthe block. Fig. '2 is anend viewof box showing the electromagnetic coils, solenoid and leversfor con# trol of theV air brakes.

tudinal section on line y-z, Fig. 4; Fig. .6"

is a detail A:view ofswitch inV one of the lcon-` tact boxes.A Fig. 7 isan inverted view' of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan View of semaphore boxAshowing the electro-magnetic.coils, and

levers used in operating the signals.' Fig 9 is a longitudinal`sectional view on line z-w, Fig. 8. Fig. 10is al detail'view ofsemaphorevaiid light signalsin,v side elevation. Fig. `l1 is a sectionof semaphore light` on line Lo-a, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a detailv view ofswitch shown'in FigsffS and, 9. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a sectionof the interior of t-lie contact box at'right' of block.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged` detailview` of one .of contact slidesshowiiigthe samein sideY ele- Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the vation.

saine.

Referring to theillustration, A is aselc-@ tion of track constitutinga'block to which my invention is applied. Inthe middleof the block'isindicated ali-engine B, headed Vtoward the right as indicated by thearrows and equipped with the device show-nin Figs.

Fig.: 3 is a longitu-v dinal section on line -y, Fig. 2, the coilsv andsolenoid being shown in sideelevation.

2 and 3 for the operation of the air. On Be it known that I, ILLIAM L.`RUMMEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at `binding posts d andd', respectively, the

-wire c" beingtapped into the wire a, and the -wire @being connected tobinding post G3,"the vcoils and` solenoid being connected vin multiple.From the binding posts UZ and CZ- lead wires Z2 and Zito the contactbrushes `Bzfprojecting "from the left side of the engine separated 4fromeachother by insulation. Y

When" the contact brushes close the circuit, the coils C Vand solenoid Dare charged, attracting the armature C2, connected with the VframegC andspring 0.3, and normally held away from the coils by the spring. At oneend of the box B facing the coils is an upright lever D pivoted to thefloor of the box and controlling the airV supply of the train.v Thelever has a lateral arm D behindwhichfrests a bent` lever D2 pivotallyconnected with a link D3 of the solenoid and supported by va guide D7.At the junction of the lever and link and pivoted between themis'anfupright arin D, the upper end ofwhichis secured to a longitudinalshaft D?, pivotally supported'at each end iii conicalbeari'ngse, erSecured to said shaft is a catch D, the free end of which is adapted toentera notch near the lower end of the armatureCZ, which normally holdsthe catch in the position shown in the drawing. When the circuit is madethrough the engine by the contact 'of the brushes B2, withthe wires 0.2and as, the former being connected with the circuit wire a and thelatter through the 'box Kiand` wire alo to the circuit wire a', at theslide contact Af', the armature is attracted to the coils which releasesthe vcatch and permits the solenoid through its movable core Ds to closethe link, and by means of the lever `D2 and arin D, turn the air leverD` and open the air, rthus stopping the train. The air lever is restoredby hand,

, and El, shown respectively at the left and i Figs. 4L, 5 and'l. Theyare exactly alike Y Vstructed and operated mechanically and elec-Vopposite sides ofthe contact points with the respective binding postsZL and L on the sides ing posts js and j* and with the other end byCrequired A,to sto-p, prcvided thesignals set by the train in enteringthe block are not circuit, and for convenience they will be train entersthe block at the left, while those Vright and passes out of the block.The coils E an'd'E are respectively Secured to me- Y tallic frames F andF which are respec- Y 'by the'springs E4 andl E5 which hold the p Tothesides of the box a'shaft G ispivoted alternately engage the notchesin the respecpivotally connected the links H and H lable cores H2 and H3of the solenoids E2 and E3. At thepend of the'shaft farthest from'th'e'coils is secured a blockinsulation fHf* whichV supports the switchblade I. The vcontact points of the switch, I', are secured 'to theinsulation I2 which is secured to the are .connect-ed with ione end ofthe solenoid kposts j. andj2.Y VOn the oppositeside the 4coils E arevconnected with one-end of the whenthe armature and .piston are restoredto their normal positionsby the movement of the lever D2. n, n

The operation just described takes place in the center of the blockopposite the semaphore and light signals where the train is followed.The means employed for setting the signals will now be described. At theentrance to the block `are contact boxes E right of the block in thediagram and also in except for the'electrical connection with the giventhe same description except as to said connection. They arev eachprovided with double electro-magnetic coils E and E and solenoids E2`and E?, the coils andsOlenOids beingconnected-in multiple; They arecontrically in substantially the same manner as those previouslydescribed, except that being double thecoils E and solenoid E2 1n thebox E operate to set the signals as the opposite act to restore them asthe train makes connection with the box E1 at the pivotally connected tothe respective movside of the'box.V Wires g and g connect the of thebox. The coils E are electrically connected in multiple by the wire 722,and 'the coil'sEQby the wireV 7b3. 'ThecoilsE E2by the wires/Z5 Aand h2through the bindthe V'Wires 3 and 4, through thwe binding solenoid vEr3by the wires 'ZJ and z" through the i through the binding binding postsZ and j, and with the other end of the solenoid by the wires Z2 and It,through the binding posts j and j5.

f Toy the' binding post la. of the box E is attached ythe wire a2leading to the circuit, and. to the binding post j2 is attached the wirea, which leads from the coils and solenoid and Vto the semaphore box K,throughthe wire as, secured to binding post le in said box K and by thewire al connected to binding post k7 in the box K to the circuit. As thecontact brush B1 of the engine closes the cir.- cuit by connecting thewires a2 and a, at the contact slide A', the coils E and solenoid E2 inthe box E areenergized which attracts thc armature F2, releasing thecatch G and con necting the switch I and I. rlhe wire a, leading fromthe binding post j? of the contactl box E connects the coils E andsolenoid E2 of the box E with the semaphore boxk K, Figs. 8 and 9, whereis shown the direct means for operating the semaphore and light. The boxK is the same as those at each end of the block. It is mounted on a postJ Vand is provided with double sets of coils K and K and solenoids K2and K. The armatures 7c Aand c are the same as those described and areconnected with a similar frame by the springs 7:2 andk3 in the samemanner. The central shaft L is the lsame as the shaft G and has similarcatches construction of these boxes andthose just described istheaddition of a lateral arm M to the shaft L which isrpivotally securedto a pendent rod M, the lower end of which is hooked into a semaphore Npivoted to the post J. As the shaft is turned by the operation of thecoils and solenoid, the semaphore Y signal is raised and lowered as willbe present-ly described. The electrical connection with the line orcircuit, however, is soniewhatdifferent from that of the cont-act boxes.TheV coils K and K are electrically connected in the same manner asthose in the contact boxes by the respective wires Ze and A The coils Kare connected with one end of the solenoid K2 by the. wire e4 throughthe binding posts Zal and 1, and with the opposite end of the solenoidby the `wires 7c and 7c through the binding posts /c-T and csl The coils7.2"" are connected with one end of the solenoid Z13 lby the wire Z2osts Z1 and Z", and with the opposite end o the solenoid by the wires c"and Z1* through the binding posts Z5 and Z6. One ofthe' contact pointsof the switch L3 is connected withithe binding post M2 on theV side ofthe box by the wire M3 lOO and the other contact by the wire M2'. c -YAs the current from wire as attachedto binding post 7a2 of theVsemaphore box enters the box K, and the coils K and solenoid K2 areenergized, the armature 7c is attracted, releasing the catch l. Thesolenoid -K2 pulls the link L and closes the Switch L2', Yat the sametime raisingthesemaphore and closing the light circuit through wires Oand O', attached to binding'posts l/ 2 and M2' in the signal box K andconnected with the` circuit, turning on the light P in tlieglobe boxP.The circuits are closed at thethree places of contact by the contact ofthe brushes inpassing under the plates R, R, connected by insulation S,all the three contacts being the same. The brush B1 shortens the currentin the wires4 attached to the plates Rein the slide contacts A and A2,while the brushes B2, being separated by insulation, lead-fthe currentthrough the engine as previously described. i

If, as already stated, the signals are not followed and the trainstopped before reachpoint to the postiV M4 ,ing the slide contact A, theclosing of the circuit at this point in the engine will operate the air.As the train passes :out of the block the contact plates of the lengineclose the circuit at the slide `contact A2, which reverses the process,releasing the semaphore and putting out the light and restoring thecontact box E. i

The wires connecting the contact boxfE1 with the circuit for releasingare as follows: The wire a4 is connected to the binding post j in thecontact box E1 and is attached t0 binding post j in said box E1 andleads to the contact box E where wire a5 is'attachedA to the post jinsaid box. lVire a6 leads from binding post j in the box E to thesemaphore box K where itis attached to binding post Z, the binding postZ2 being connected with the circuit by the wire a. y lhen the contactbrushes B1 of theengine connects with the slide A2 it. forms a circuitfrom wire a7 leading to the line wire to wire c4, and the currentfollows the wires just described. rThe coils E and solenoid E3 in theboxE, the coils I and solenoid K3 in the'semaphore box K are thusenergized, which attracts the respective armatures F2 and lc. in theseboxes, releasing the catches and causing the mechanism to assume thepositions shown in Figs. 5 and 9. `The semaphore signal is lowered, thelight` extinguished and the whole apparatus of the contact and signalboxes assumes its'normal position. The coils E and solenoid E2 in thebox E1 are not shown as having `any connection with the circuit wires',as they are a part of the mechanism oftheadjacent block, it being theobject to here describe only the operation of one block. However, theother blocks are operated by the same mechanism and the electricalconnection is merely a continuation of the same system. Thus, to bindingpost la. of the box E1 is secured the continu# ation of the wire ci"leading to the next block at the right, and to `the binding post i ofthe box E is secured the continuation of the wire a2 leading to the nextblock to the left.

applied to `doubletrack's and switches and for "the prevention of rearend collisions, although these illustrations are for a single trackonly. If applied to but one track the engines should be supplied withcontact brushes extending from both sides.

Having described my invent-ion, what I claim as `new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway block system, the combination of an electric circuitalong the line of road, electric batteries in the circuit, contactslides at intervals in vthe circuit whereby the circuit may be closed,plates extending from the engine to connectthe contacts and close thecircuit, semaphore and light signals con- `nected atiintervals with thecircuit, solenoids with movable cores for operating the signals,electro-magnetic coils and armatures adapted to be attracted thereby forthe operation of the solenoids, metallic connection between the coilsand solenoids, between the coils and `slides,and Vbetween the coils andthe circuit, whereby the coils and solenoids are energized and thesignals operated, substantially as described.

' 2. In a railway bloeksystem, the combination of an electric circuitalong the line of road, electricbatteries in the circuit, semaphore andlight signals connected at intervals with the circuit, solenoids withmovable cores for'operating and restoring the signals, electro-magneticcoils and armatures adapted to be attracted thereby for the operation ofthe solenoids, metallic connection between the coils and solenoids,between the coils and the circuit and between the coils and the signals,contact slides in the circuit having metallic` connection with the coilsand solenoids whereby the circuit may be closed through theV coils andsolenoids and the coils andl solenoids energized and thesignals'operated andrestored,fand circuit closers extending from. theengine to make the contacts and close the circuit, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a railway block system, the combination with the semaphore andlight signals of a railway line, an electric circuit along said line,electric batteries in the circuit and metallic connection between thesignals and armatures adapted to be attracted thereby j and solenoidswith movable cores for operating and restoring the signals, metallicconnection between the coils and solenoids, a switch adapted to beopened and closed by the solenoids having metallic connection with thecircuit whereby the signals are operated when one setlof coils andsolenoids is energized, and restored when the other set is energized,means connecting the armatures with the switch for maintaining thesignals in position until operated or restored, metallic connectionbetween each set of coils and solcnoids and the circuit, and meansconnected with the engines of the road for applying and withdrmving thecurrent'from the coilsl and solenoids, substantially as described.

4. In a railway block system, the combination with theV semaphore andlight signals of a railway line, an electric circuit along the nals,-metallic connection between the coils and solenoid, and between thecoils and solenoid and the circuit, means connecting the armature withthe signals for normally holding the signals in the position placed, andmeans connected with the engines for applying and withdrawing thecurrent from the coils and solenoid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVILLIAM L. HUMMEL.

IVitnesses AXEL SMITH, I-I. C. GARDINER.

